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How a Bill Becomes a Law

About 25,000 bills are introduced in each term of Congress,
but only 10 percent become law. These are the steps
in the
law-making process. A bill may begin in either the House
or the
Senate except for money bills, which must be introduced
in
the House.

1. Bill is Drafted:

Members of Congress, the Executive
Branch, and even outside groups can draft (write or
draw
up) bills.

2. Introduced in House:

Representative introduces the bill
in the
House. Only members can introduce bills.

3. Sent to Committee:

The Speaker of the House sends
the bill
to a committee.

4. Committee Action:

Most bills die here. The committee
may
pigeonhole, table, amend, or vote on the bill. If bill passes,
it goes to Rules Committee.

5, Rules Committee:

It decides the rules for debate,
and
when the bill will come up for debate.

6. Floor Action:

House debates the bill, and may add
amendments. If a majority votes in favor of the bill,
it
goes to the Senate.

7. Introduced in Senate:

A Senator introduces the bill,
which is sent to a committee.

8. Committee Action:

Same procedure as in the House. If the
committee majority votes for the bill, it goes to the
whole
Senate.

9. Bill Called Up:

Majority floor leader decides when
the
whole Senate will consider the bill.

10. Floor Action:

The Bill is debated, and amendments may
be
added. If a majority votes in favor of the bill, it
is
returned to the House.

11. Conference Committee:

If the House rejects any
of the
changes, the bill goes to a conference committee of
members
from both houses. It works out a compromise.

12. Vote on Compromise:

Both houses must approve changes
made by the conference committee. If approved, the bill
goes to
the president.

13. Presidential Action:

The president may sign (approve)
the
bill or veto (reject) it. If approved, it becomes law.

14. Vote to Override:

If the president vetoes the bill,
it can
still become law if two thirds of both houses vote to
override the veto.

Guided Reading Lecturas Cortas Level Z

Available August 2015!

The all-new Guided Reading Short Reads brings the same high-quality nonfiction of the original Guided Reading Short Reads to both Spanish and English-speaking learners. Access to short informational texts builds vocabulary acquisition and content area knowledge for all students, providing rich support for students who are learning Spanish, and building confidence in Spanish-speaking learners that they will carry over to their English instruction.

Easy Simulations: How a Bill Becomes a Law

Help students gain firsthand knowledge of how our government works with this easy-to-implement, weeklong simulation. After brainstorming real school issues, students form committees, write, present, and revise bills, then vote on them-following the actual steps Congress takes to enact a bill into law. Includes step-by-step directions, plus reproducible student worksheets, primary sources, and rubrics. 64 pages.

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Professional Book | Grades 5-12